Brazil Senate plans public hearing on betting ban

The Economic Affairs Committee of the Brazilian Senate is preparing a public hearing on the country's fixed-odds betting ban. The date of the meeting has not yet been set.

Senator Veneziano Vital do Rêgo is the one who requested the hearing. Representing the state of Paraíba and a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement, Vital do Rêgo's request focuses on the economic and social consequences of Provisional Measure 1,394/2026. The senator voiced concern about the risks that the spread of betting poses for Brazilians.

The hearing will give the committee an opportunity to examine the effects of the ban. This process is kept separate from the public hearing the Supreme Federal Court held earlier, in November. President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva published the measure on September 25. The measure bans fixed-odds betting and is subject to review by Congress. Senate expert Gilberto Guerzoni noted that the standard time limit has been suspended during the parliamentary recess.

Justice Luiz Fux also ordered that lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the measure be suspended nationwide in other courts. According to the court, this suspension aims to prevent conflicting rulings while the matter is being examined. The suspension does not amount to a decision on whether the ban is constitutional.